John Baer

STAFF COLUMNIST

John Baer has written about politics and government for the Daily News since 1987. Neither subject ever fails to provide him with stories of policies and politicians walking on or skirting by paths to perdition.

The issue, if you missed it, was first reported by the online new service StateImpact and has to do with the Guv (and a former cabinet member) failing to report vacation homes on annual Code of Conduct financial statements.

The news service says Corbett bought a $265,000 beachfront condo last year on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina but didn't include it on his filing.

The Guv's folks first said the Corbett's hadn't finished settlement on the property by the end of the calendar year and therefore didn't need to report it; but later claimed misunderstanding about the language on the form which allows exclusion of a "home or principal residence."

The Guv is now reportedly amending the form to include the condo.

But Dems used the issue to make fun of Corbett with a video they titled "Are You Less Confused Than Tom Corbett."

It shows a number of TV reports then shows the language in question, which includes the phrase "list all in-state and out-of-state real estate property interests."